Art Nouveau

From Moscowiki

The end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th century is an era of one of the most interesting styles in Moscow architecture – Art Nouveau (Moderne). In contradiction to the Pseudo-Russian style, Moderne didn’t want to copy the past; as it is obvious from its very name, it aimed at the creation of new architectural forms, introducing new artistic values.

Moderne strove to express the spirit of its time with help of synthesis of different kinds of art, new unconventional forms and methods, new materials and constructions. It intended to overcome the predominance of pragmatism and the contradiction between artistic and utilitarian principles. Moderne tried to sate everything with beauty, to give every architectural detail its own aesthetic value, to ennoble the world with beauty.

Every Art Nouveau house was supposed to be unique just as people are. Architects working in this style worshipped nature with its freedom of lines, colours, volumes, movements. They tried to do the same in their constructions, and modern technologies allowed them to use their imagination. Architects abandoned symmetry, explored unconventional motives and designs, paid special attention to architectural details previously regarded as secondary ones (windows, oriels, balconies). The greatest representative of Art Nouveau was Fedor Shekhtel.

Among his most famous works are the Ryabushinsky mansion (Gorky museum), inspired by the Element of the Sea, Morozov’s mansion imbued with medieval romantic spirit, and Yaroslavsky Railway Station called “the essence of Russia in stone”. Other brilliant architects were L.Kekushev (Kekusheva’s mansion in Ostozhenka Ulitsa st., shopping arcades in Nikolskaya Ulitsa st, Isakov’s apartment house in Prechistenka), S.Vashkov (apartment house of the Church of the Trinity on the Mire in Chistoprudny Boulevard), A.Schusev (Kazansky Railway Station), and V.Valkot (Hotel Metropol).